Pasco County offers Christmas tree Recycling

Pasco County Recycling is reminding residents that they don’t have to trash their Christmas tree after the holiday season – they can recycle!

“We put the trees through a chipper and use them for mulch,” said Pasco County Recycling Supervisor Jennifer Seney. “Christmas tree mulch can be used to cover hiking paths, control weeds and accent landscaping. Residents can also relocate their tree to a brush pile at home to make an excellent wildlife habitat.”

Some residents like to pick up used trees for firewood. “That’s okay with us,” said Seney. “We call it repurposing and we’re tracking that also. So drop off and recycle or pick up and repurpose.”

Before you recycle your tree, Pasco County reminds you to remove all decorations, tinsel and metal hooks. Then drop it off between December 26, 2016 and January 8, 2017 during normal business hours at one of the following locations:

Pasco County residents recycled 1,142 Christmas trees last year – up from 842 in 2014.

Make a New Year’s Resolution to recycle in 2017. Recycling is included in residential twice-weekly curbside garbage pickup. Just ‘Choose & Use Your Own Container’ – plastic bags of any kind are no longer allowed – and toss in all your recyclables (no need to separate). Use a recycling sticker on your container – available from your hauler or the County – and set it on the curb the night before your recycling pickup day. Contact your hauler for a recycling schedule.

You can recycle aluminum and metal cans; clear, green and brown glass bottles and jars; and plastic bottles, jars and small containers coded #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #7. NOW, you can also put newspaper, mixed paper and cardboard in your recycling bin. Please rinse items and remove caps before recycling.